Reviews
"One of the most compelling books of her remarkable career. . . . A magisterial and subtle exploration of all-too-human emotions."The Seattle Times "Appealing. . . . Something to gladden heartsat least among aficionados of the formally perfect murder scheme. . . . Even its murder victim is delectable. . . . The reader . . . secretly thrills to the discovery of each new corpse."The New York Times "Thrilling. . . . Tantalizing. . . . Intense. . . . The solution to the crime is satisfyingly elegant."The Boston Herald "James is at the height of her writing powers in describing this craggy bit of rock off England's coast so thoroughly that you can feel the wind against your face and the scrubland brush against your boots. Like Dalgleish and Miskin, you will wish you could return." The Baltimore Sun "With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre." Toronto Sun "An elegant and perceptive writer rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James's many fans will relishThe Lighthouse, for all its poise and narrative familiarity." The Globe and Mail "James's gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writer of detection." Times Literary Supplement "James has proven that she deserves her reputation as our leading 'literary' crime writer.The Lighthouseconfirms that she is also the most enjoyable." Daily Express, "With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre." --"Toronto Sun" "An elegant and perceptive writer - rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James's many fans will relish The Lighthouse, for all its poise and narrative familiarity." --"The Globe and Mail" "James's gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writer of detection." --"Times Literary Supplement" "James has proven that she deserves her reputation as our leading 'literary' crime writer. The Lighthouse confirms that she is also the most enjoyable." --"Daily Express" Praise for P.D. James: "A first-rate writer without any qualifying genre tag." --"Newsweek" "[James] ought never to be confused with such practitioners of the murder-in-the-vicarage genre as Agatha Christie. She is subtler, more sophisticated, much more adept at creating character and her social conservatism gives her a much darker view of human nature." --Martin Levin, "The Globe and Mail" "James's novels are an escape like no other. . . . Masterful writing." --"The Vancouver Sun" "She writes like an angel. Every character is closely drawn. Her atmosphere is unerringly, chillingly convincing. And she manages all this without for a moment slowing down the drive and tension of an excitingmystery." --"The Times" (UK) "[James] suffuses The Murder Room with an intelligence and a perceptivity of human nature that seems casually placed. But that's part of her genius. A grand design is there, but not readily apparent. Dalgliesh is one of the smartest, gentlest and most restrained cops to ever adorn a page. Moreover, every character, even minor characters, come across as fully realized. --"Winnipeg Free Press" "From the Hardcover edition.", "One of the most compelling books of her remarkable career. . . . A magisterial and subtle exploration of all-too-human emotions."-"The Seattle Times" "Appealing. . . . Something to gladden hearts-at least among aficionados of the formally perfect murder scheme. . . . Even its murder victim is delectable. . . . The reader . . . secretly thrills to the discovery of each new corpse."-"The New York Times" "Thrilling. . . . Tantalizing. . . . Intense. . . . The solution to the crime is satisfyingly elegant."-"The Boston Herald" "James is at the height of her writing powers in describing this craggy bit of rock off England's coast so thoroughly that you can feel the wind against your face and the scrubland brush against your boots. Like Dalgleish and Miskin, you will wish you could return." -"The Baltimore Sun" "With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre." -"Toronto Sun" "An elegant and perceptive writer - rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James's many fans will relish The Lighthouse, for all its poise and narrative familiarity." -"The Globe and Mail" "James's gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writer of detection." -"Times Literary Supplement" "James has proven that she deserves her reputation as our leading 'literary' crimewriter. The Lighthouse confirms that she is also the most enjoyable." -"Daily Express", " One of the most compelling books of her remarkable career. . . . A magisterial and subtle exploration of all-too-human emotions." - "The Seattle Times" " Appealing. . . . Something to gladden hearts- at least among aficionados of the formally perfect murder scheme. . . . Even its murder victim is delectable. . . . The reader . . . secretly thrills to the discovery of each new corpse." - "The New York Times" " Thrilling. . . . Tantalizing. . . . Intense. . . . The solution to the crime is satisfyingly elegant." - "The Boston Herald" " James is at the height of her writing powers in describing this craggy bit of rock off England's coast so thoroughly that you can feel the wind against your face and the scrubland brush against your boots. Like Dalgleish and Miskin, you will wish you could return." - "The Baltimore Sun" " With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre." - "Toronto Sun" " An elegant and perceptive writer - rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James's many fans will relish The Lighthouse, for all its poise and narrative familiarity." - "The Globe and Mail" " James's gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writerof detection." - "Times Literary Supplement" " James has proven that she deserves her reputation as our leading ' literary' crime writer. The Lighthouse confirms that she is also the most enjoyable." - "Daily Express", "One of the most compelling books of her remarkable career. . . . A magisterial and subtle exploration of all-too-human emotions." The Seattle Times "Appealing. . . . Something to gladden heartsat least among aficionados of the formally perfect murder scheme. . . . Even its murder victim is delectable. . . . The reader . . . secretly thrills to the discovery of each new corpse." The New York Times "Thrilling. . . . Tantalizing. . . . Intense. . . . The solution to the crime is satisfyingly elegant." The Boston Herald "James is at the height of her writing powers in describing this craggy bit of rock off England's coast so thoroughly that you can feel the wind against your face and the scrubland brush against your boots. Like Dalgleish and Miskin, you will wish you could return." The Baltimore Sun "With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre." Toronto Sun "An elegant and perceptive writer rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James's many fans will relish The Lighthouse , for all its poise and narrative familiarity." The Globe and Mail "James's gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writer of detection." Times Literary Supplement "James has proven that she deserves her reputation as our leading 'literary' crime writer. The Lighthouse confirms that she is also the most enjoyable." Daily Express, "With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre." -Toronto Sun "An elegant and perceptive writer rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James's many fans will relish The Lighthouse, for all its poise and narrative familiarity." -The Globe and Mail "James's gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writer of detection." -Times Literary Supplement "James has proven that she deserves her reputation as our leading 'literary' crime writer. The Lighthouse confirms that she is also the most enjoyable." -Daily Express Praise for P.D. James: "A first-rate writer without any qualifying genre tag." -Newsweek "[James] ought never to be confused with such practitioners of the murder-in-the-vicarage genre as Agatha Christie. She is subtler, more sophisticated, much more adept at creating character and her social conservatism gives her a much darker view of human nature." -Martin Levin, The Globe and Mail "James's novels are an escape like no other. . . . Masterful writing." -The Vancouver Sun "She writes like an angel. Every character is closely drawn. Her atmosphere is unerringly, chillingly convincing. And she manages all this without for a moment slowing down the drive and tension of an exciting mystery." -The Times (UK) "[James] suffuses The Murder Room with an intelligence and a perceptivity of human nature that seems casually placed. But that's part of her genius. A grand design is there, but not readily apparent. Dalgliesh is one of the smartest, gentlest and most restrained cops to ever adorn a page. Moreover, every character, even minor characters, come across as fully realized. -Winnipeg Free Press From the Hardcover edition.